عَجِبتُ لِحُرّاقَةِ اِبنِ الحُسَينِ

عَجِبتُ لِحُرّاقَةِ اِبنِ الحُسَينِ

وكَيفَ تَعومُ وَلا تَغرَقُ

وكَيفَ تَعومُ وَلا تَغرَقُ

I marveled at Ibn al-Husayn’s barge,

I am amazed at the craft of Ibn al-Husayn

and how it floats and does not sink,

How does it float and not sink?

وَبَحرانِ مِن تَحتِها واحِدٌ

وَبَحرانِ مِن تَحتِها واحِدٌ

وَآخَرُ مِن فَوقِها مطبِقُ

وَآخَرُ مِن فَوقِها مطبِقُ

with two seas—one beneath it,

With two seas beneath it as one

and another above it, enveloping it.

And another on top pressing down

وَأَعجَبُ مِن ذاكَ عيدانُها

وَأَعجَبُ مِن ذاكَ عيدانُها

وَقَد مَسَّها كَيفَ لا تورِقُ

وَقَد مَسَّها كَيفَ لا تورِقُ

And more wondrous than that are its timbers:

Yet more amazing are its sticks

and he has touched them—how do they not put forth leaves?

Though touched, how do they not ignite?